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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24186016">Red Roses are Overrated (Tsukishima x Reader Flower Shop AU)</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/ArinFive/pseuds/ArinFive'>ArinFive</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Haikyuu!!</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Flower Shop, Awkward Tsukishima Kei, Complete, F/M, First Love, Florist!Reader - Freeform, Flowers, Fluff, Love at First Sight, Reader-Insert, Tsukishima Brothers - Freeform, Tsukishima Kei is Bad at Feelings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-03 00:01:40</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>9,981</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24186016</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/ArinFive/pseuds/ArinFive</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Tsukishima has always been skeptical about his brother's claim that he had fallen in love at first sight with his fiancée and soon-to-be-wife, Saeko. After all, Tsukishima has never even met someone that he was interested in being in a relationship with. This all changes when Akiteru asks him to choose the flowers for his upcoming wedding, leading him to meet you, a wedding florist. Tsukishima doesn't understand how you can talk about flowers for hours on end, but even more so doesn't understand why he finds himself stumbling over his words and blushing whenever he is talking to you. After all, you can't develop feelings the first time you meet someone...right?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Tanaka Saeko/Tsukishima Akiteru, Tsukishima Akiteru &amp; Tsukishima Kei, Tsukishima Kei &amp; Reader, Tsukishima Kei/Reader</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>35</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>301</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. A Favor for Akiteru</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Kei, I need a favor.”<br/>
</p><p>Tsukishima’s raised his eyebrows at his brother’s words. It was surprising enough that Akiteru had called him out of the blue, something that he almost never did. They had an agreement to do weekly calls on Sunday evenings ever since Akiteru had moved away to start his career in Tokyo, but tonight was a Friday. Whatever his brother had called him for had to be serious. Ever since their falling-out years ago, when he had discovered that his brother had been lying to him about being the ace of his school’s volleyball team when he hadn’t even been a regular member, Akiteru had always been careful about what he said to him. Though their relationship had improved over the years, and especially once Tsukishima had started playing volleyball more seriously in high school, he couldn’t remember a single time that Akiteru had asked him for a favor.<br/>
</p><p>“What’s wrong?” he asked.<br/>
</p><p>“It’s about the wedding.”<br/>
</p><p>Tsukishima internally groaned. Of course even he wasn’t rude enough to openly snub his brother, who was so excited about the big day, but he absolutely loathed weddings of any kind. They were too loud, dragged on for too many hours, and involved him being forced to socialize with too many people that he barely knew. If it wasn’t his own older brother getting married and if he hadn’t been asked to be the best man, Tsukishima knew that he would’ve looked for any excuse to get out of it.<br/>
</p><p>“I know it’s only a month away, but we completely forgot about the flowers!” Akiteru said. “Which is so stupid of me, because what kind of wedding doesn’t have flowers? But there’s still so much to do on our end and Saeko is already pretty stressed out, so I was wondering if you’d be willing to pick them out and place an order for them?”<br/>
</p><p>“Huh? Shouldn’t the two of you who are getting married be the ones who pick them?” Tsukishima knew that his brother probably couldn’t care less about what flowers were on display at his wedding- honestly, Akiteru would probably be fine with eloping if his soon-to-be wife was too- but wasn’t that the type of thing brides were really into? While his brother’s fiancé came off as wild and rebellious, Tsukishima had found out that she was the one who wanted a traditional wedding ceremony. Shouldn’t she be the one who chose the flowers?<br/>
</p><p>“Saeko cares about choosing certain things about the ceremony, like the dress and cake,” Akiteru said. “Honestly, neither of us really care about the flowers but you know what mom would say if we didn’t have any. Please, Kei? I trust your judgement. I just need you to choose something that looks nice and is affordable.”<br/>
</p><p>Tsukishima sighed. How could he refuse? Even though he was the best man, his brother had hardly asked anything of him in preparation of the wedding, likely because Akiteru knew just how much he hated weddings. All he had to do was pick a bunch of flowers that weren’t ugly, right? How hard could it be?<br/>
</p><p>“I’ll do it,” he said. “I’ll find a place to call tomorrow and get back to you.”<br/>
</p><p>“Really? Kei, you’re a lifesaver, thank you!” Akiteru said. “You’re definitely my favorite brother now.”<br/>
</p><p>“I’m your <i>only</i> brother,” Tsukishima pointed out, though Akiteru just laughed.<br/>
</p><p>“You get the point. I owe you one! If you need to me choose flowers for you if you ever get married, I’ll do it!”<br/>
</p><p>Tsukishima scoffed at his words, promising to call Akiteru back on Sunday before hanging up. <i>As if that would ever happen</i>. Though it had definitely been a shock when Akiteru had started dating and eventually proposed to Saeko Tanka, the punk older sister of his former volleyball teammate Ryu, the fact that he was in a relationship didn’t surprise Tsukishima at all. Akiteru was basically the opposite of him in terms of personality, after all. He was a pediatrician, which matched his caring and gentle nature, opposed to Tsukishima’s analytical, callous personality. Akiteru was the type of person that others were just drawn to magnetically and had always fantasized about one day getting married and starting his own family. Meanwhile, Tsukishima hadn’t ever been in a relationship. The idea of being so sure about your feelings for someone that you could pledge to spend the rest of your life with them was something that he just couldn’t wrap his head around. When he had asked his brother about it, Akiteru just laughed.<br/>
</p><p>“It’s just a feeling, you know?” he had said. “The first time I met Saeko was when I went to watch your first year Spring Tournament volleyball match in the finals. I was trying to disguise myself so you wouldn’t see me, but she thought I was some kind of spy for Shiratorizawa. She basically dragged me up to the Karasuno stands and wouldn’t let me go until Shimada-san believed that I was your brother! I know it doesn’t seem like we have anything in common and that it’s a really weird way to meet your future wife, but when I met her I just got this feeling that I knew she was the one for me.”<br/>
</p><p>Tsukishima had rolled his eyes when Akiteru had said that. It sounded like something that came out of a cliché romance movie, like the ones Akiteru loved, where the two main characters fell in love at first sight and lived happily ever after together. He would’ve scoffed at Akiteru’s words if it had been coming from anyone but him. As long as his brother was happy, no matter how outlandish his reasons for choosing his fiancé sounded to him, that was all that mattered. Despite their strained relationship in the past, Tsukishima thought that if anyone deserved to live happily ever after with someone that they fell in love with at first sight, it was Akiteru. And if he needed Tsukishima to go and choose some flowers for his wedding for that to all happen, then that was what he would do.<br/>
</p><p>***<br/>
</p><p>Tsukishima opened his laptop, glancing at the clock that showed that he was on his lunch break. He was thankful that the offices in the financial department of the Sendai City Museum were all separated, giving him some privacy. It wasn’t that he had anything against his coworkers, but gossip traveled fast amongst the museum employees. He didn’t need his acquaintances seeing him looking for wedding flowers and getting the wrong idea.<br/>
</p><p>Opening up a new tab on his screen, he did a search for flower shops in the area. Akiteru and Saeko were getting married in a reception room in a hotel near the house where he and Akiteru had grown up. Scrolling through a list of potential options, he skimmed through the reviews. He stopped as he saw one that happened to be within walking distance of his apartment and had a slew of high ratings, despite only having been open for a year.<br/>
</p><p>Clicking on the link, he read through the services offered by “Dove Florals,” which included custom flower arrangements and wedding bouquets. Opening the reviews, he kept a mental list of everything that was mentioned: great service, knowledgeable staff, beautiful arrangements, and affordable prices. It seemed like a perfect choice. Reaching for his phone, he quickly tapped in the numbers.<br/>
</p><p>“Dove Florals, how can I help you?” a female voice said.<br/>
</p><p>“I’m looking to order flowers for a wedding,” Tsukishima said, immediately feeling himself turning a bit red. Why was he blushing? A stranger on a phone wasn’t going to care whether it was him getting married or not. Even knowing that, he couldn’t stop himself from adding, “It’s not my wedding, but I’ve been asked by the couple to choose and order their flowers for them.”<br/>
</p><p>“We can absolutely do that,” the voice said. “Do you know what sort of arrangements and flowers you’re looking for?”<br/>
</p><p>“Uh.” Tsukishima’s mind was whirling, trying to think back to all the weddings he’d been to before. There were different types of arrangements? Weren’t they all just a bunch of flowers gathered in a vase? He sighed. Clearly he wasn’t the person Akiteru should’ve asked to do this.<br/>
</p><p>“If you want to go over potential options so you can decide after looking at the sample arrangements we have, we also do consultation appointments,” the voice said, likely picking up on his hesitation. “We can help guide you through the process of deciding what flowers and arrangements will best suit the wedding.”<br/>
</p><p>“I’d like that,” Tsukishima said immediately, breathing a sigh of relief. He normally hated getting help from or having to rely on anyone, but for once, he was grateful for the offer of assistance. He had absolutely no idea how he was supposed to go about picking flowers for someone else’s wedding, much less someone as important to him as his older brother.<br/>
</p><p>“Of course! When would you like to schedule a meeting?”<br/>
</p><p>“This might be a little sudden, but are you available at all tomorrow?” Tsukishima asked. “The wedding is in a month, so I’m pressed for time.”<br/>
</p><p>“Are you available at 1 p.m.?”<br/>
</p><p>Tsukishima pulled up his calendar. Given that it was a Sunday, his entire day was free. He couldn’t say he had much going on in his life outside of work. Most of his friends from high school and college and moved away, looking to seek opportunities outside of Miyagi, resulting in him spending most of his days off alone. “That works for me.”<br/>
</p><p>“Great. Will the bride and groom be attending as well?”<br/>
</p><p>Tsukishima sighed. He wished. “No. They’ve decided to leave choosing the flowers completely up to me.”<br/>
</p><p>“If that’s the case, if you have a picture of the venue, any other decorations and future that have already been chosen, and a picture of the bride’s dress, please bring it with you.” Tsukishima heard a shuffle of papers. “May I get a name for this appointment?”<br/>
</p><p>“Tsukishima.”<br/>
</p><p>“Okay Mr. Tsukishima, I have you down for 1 p.m. tomorrow,” the voice said. “I look forward to seeing you then.”<br/>
</p><p>After thanking the person on the phone, Tsukishima hung up and glanced at the clock. Seeing that he still had some time to spare, he did a quick search on his computer on types of wedding bouquets they were. His eyes widened. Why were there so many different types? Didn’t a bouquet just have to look nice? He squinted, trying to tell the difference between two different pictures on the website he was using. What was the difference between the two?<br/>
</p><p>He let out a loud huff of air as he closed the tab on his computer. He had a feeling that no matter how long he stared at pictures of flowers, he wouldn’t understand any of it. He would have to rely on Dove Florals to guide him through the process<br/>
</p><p>He sent a quick text to Akiteru updating him on his progress and then to Saeko, to ask her for pictures of her dress. Akiteru immediately responded with a thumbs up. Tsukishima sighed. The last thing he wanted to do was let his brother down. He wasn’t normally superstitious, but he found himself crossing his fingers and hoping that whoever the person was on the phone would be competent at their job.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hear me ramble about writing on <a href="https://www.twitter.com/arinfive">Twitter</a> + find my other socials there!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. A Strange Feeling</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Following his phone’s instructions, Tsukishima walked down a narrow street lined with small shops on either side. The sidewalk was empty and most of the stores looked devoid of customers. Seeing that the map on his phone said that he was in the right location, he looked around until his eyes landed on an elegant silver sign that read “Dove Florals” on the other side of the road. The shop was large compared to the others, sandwiched between a coffee shop and a casual restaurant, and had numerous floral arrangements on display in the window.<br/>
</p><p>He crossed the street, checking his watch which showed that he was a little early. A bell chimed as he pulled the door open and he was immediately hit by the scent of flowers and a wall of air conditioning. The interior to the store was even larger than he had expected, with different types of flowers lining each of the walls. In the center were tables showcasing numerous bouquets for different occasions. One that consisted primarily of red roses and some smaller flowers was labeled, “for someone you love,” and another that had a variety of brightly colored chrysanthemums said, “flowers can brighten any friend’s day.”<br/>
</p><p> “Welcome!”<br/>
</p><p>Tsukishima turned to see the girl at the front register who had called out to him. You looked around his age and had a wide smile on your face. Noting that you seemed to be the only person in the store, he walked up to you.<br/>
</p><p> “I know I’m a little early but I have an appointment for 1 p.m.,” he said. “For Tsukishima.”<br/>
</p><p> “Oh, for the wedding arrangements? I can take you now if you want.”<br/>
</p><p>Tsukishima nodded and you stepped out from behind the register to pull up a chair on his side of the table.<br/>
</p><p> “We usually don’t get much business on weekdays,” you explained after introducing yourself as a florist who often worked with custom orders. “So I figured it would be easier to talk about the arrangements out here, where you can view all of the flowers. If that’s okay with you, of course.”<br/>
</p><p> “It’s fine.” Tsukishima sat down in the chair you had set out for him. You reached behind the register to pull out a binder.<br/>
</p><p> “So you’re ordering wedding flowers but you’re not getting married,” you said. “That’s a first.”<br/>
</p><p> “They're for my brother's wedding,” Tsukishima said. “Apparently he and his fiancée forgot about flowers until now and I’m his best man, so he asked me to choose them.”<br/>
</p><p>You nodded. “Can you tell me about the bride and groom?” Seeing him raise an eyebrow with a bewildered look, you added, “Floral arranging, especially for weddings, is an art of communicating the couple’s vision for the wedding to the guests, as well as their feelings towards each other. It’ll be easier to help you choose the right flowers if I know more about them, especially since I’m not meeting them in person.”<br/>
</p><p> “Art of communicating? Isn’t it just picking a bunch of flowers for her to carry down the aisle?” Tsukishima said before he could catch himself. He bit his lip, stopping his words before he could say anything else that was rude. He knew that he often came off as callous and, especially after high school, had been working on filtering his words to avoid this impression. “Sorry, no offense.”<br/>
</p><p> “None taken.” Tsukishima looked up at you in surprise. Most people would’ve snapped at him for what he said.<br/>
</p><p> “A lot of people probably think that, even if they don’t say it,” you said with a shrug. “Besides, it’s your first time ordering wedding flowers, right? I don’t expect you to know what goes into choosing flowers if you’ve never done it before.<br/>
</p><p> “Can you explain what you meant?” Tsukishima asked, trying again. He wondered how he had managed to make friends back in high school, when he hadn’t even made an effort to be nicer. If he hadn't been a part of the volleyball team, he doubted that he would've had any friends besides Yamaguchi.<br/>
</p><p>You nodded. “Different flowers have different symbolic meanings,” you explained. “You know, how red roses are supposed to represent love? The same is true for basically every other flower out there. Making an arrangement has to do with what the flowers you choose symbolize, as well as how the final bouquet looks. Especially for weddings, it’s the florist’s job to choose flowers that match what the couple wants to express in their wedding and how they feel towards each other.”<br/>
</p><p>Tsukishima nodded. It seemed overly troublesome to think so much about a bunch of plants, but what did he know? It couldn’t hurt to believe what you said, he decided. Even if you were spouting nonsense, if this was how you did your job, who was he to judge?<br/>
</p><p> “My older brother met his fiancée at one of my volleyball matches in high school,” he said. “She’s actually the older sister of one of my high school teammates. They’re complete opposites in terms of personality. Akiteru, my brother, is pretty laid back but gets excited really easily. He's a pediatrician, so I guess working with kids suits him.”<br/>
</p><p>Tsukishima smiled slightly, remembering how he had seen Akiteru sneaking around the stadium when he had secretly come to watch the volleyball match that he ended up meeting Saeko at. Seeing how Akiteru had cheered so loudly for him when he managed to block one of Ushijima’s spikes was something he claimed to be embarrassed about, but in all honestly, the memory never failed to make him smile.<br/>
</p><p> “His fiancée is loud and honestly reminds me of a teenager going through their rebellious stage. Their whole family is like that. She drives recklessly and seems to think that anyone she meets is like her younger sibling. I thought it was strange that she wanted to have a traditional wedding, given her personality. Akiteru would’ve been fine with eloping if she was.”<br/>
</p><p>You nodded. “So let’s do something more traditional for her bouquet. Can you tell me about the venue?”<br/>
</p><p>"It’s going to be a small wedding,” Tsukishima said. “It’s indoors and in a reception room at a hotel. They're trying to keep it simple and they’re doing basically everything in white.”<br/>
</p><p>He slid you some of the pictures he had brought. You picked up the stack, looking through various photos of the reception room, sample table arrangements, and the bride’s wedding dress.<br/>
</p><p> “Great!” you said, jotting down a few notes after looking at the pictures. “That was really helpful. Here, let’s start with making some of the easier decisions before we start talking about specific flowers.”<br/>
</p><p>You smiled reassuringly at Tsukishima, and for some reason, seeing your smile directed at him made his breath catch. He bit the insides of his cheeks to fight the sudden urge he felt to smile back. A strange feeling of warmth, seemingly coming out of nowhere, bloomed from his chest and spread through the rest of his body. Tsukishima clenched his hands into fists, trying to keep his breathing steady. </p><p><i>Why did he suddenly feel so strange?</i><br/>
</p><p>***<br/>
</p><p>Tsukishima didn’t understand how someone could love their job so much. It wasn’t like he was unhappy working at the Sendai City Museum, but he also didn’t think he could talk about historical exhibits hours on end to someone he just met. Somehow, you managed to make the aesthetics of different vase shapes and the slight differences in flower symbolism actually interesting, and he found himself getting drawn into your explanations, even stopping you to ask questions when you mentioned something new. The entire time, the mysterious feeling of warmth that he felt as well as his inexplicable urge to smile back at you remained.<br/>
</p><p> “All right, I think that’s good for today,” you said, closing the binder in front of you. Tsukishima glanced at the clock. Had he really been sitting here for three hours?<br/>
</p><p> “I’ll have some samples ready in a week if you want to schedule another appointment for that now,” you continued before catching Tsukishima looking towards the door. “Is everything okay?”<br/>
</p><p> “We’ve been sitting here for three hours,” he said, though he didn’t sound upset about it. You were grateful, knowing that you had a tendency to ramble when you started talking about flowers. Even so, three hours was a longest time you'd ever spent on one client meeting. “But you haven't had a customer since I came.”<br/>
</p><p> “It’s not like flower shops are always really in demand,” you said with a shrug. “I mean, Mother’s Day and Valentine’s Day are always busy but other than that, it’s a pretty slow business.”<br/>
</p><p>Tsukishima nodded but didn’t say anything. You decided to repeat your question. “Did you want to schedule that meeting for next week?”<br/>
</p><p> “Yeah. Does the same time work?” he asked.<br/>
</p><p>You nodded. “I’ll see you then. I’m looking forward to working with you, Mr. Tsukishima.”<br/>
</p><p>Tsukishima’s brows furrowed. It wasn’t unusual to hear someone addressing him by his last name, but it didn’t sound right coming from you. Perhaps talking to someone for three hours straight indicated that they shouldn’t bother with such formalities.<br/>
</p><p> “There’s no way I’m that much older than you,” he said. Judging from how you looked, you were around the same age as him or a little younger. The words seemed to tumble out of his mouth before he knew what he was saying. “You can call me by my first name.”<br/>
</p><p> “You didn’t tell me what it is,” you pointed out.<br/>
</p><p> “Kei.”<br/>
</p><p> “Well, I’m looking forward to seeing you next week, Kei.”<br/>
</p><p>Hearing you say his name made his chest suddenly felt tight, and Tsukishima felt heat rise to his cheeks as he stammered out a response before leaving. Why had he stuttered? He never stuttered. Though, he had been doing a lot of things out of character today. Spending three hours listening to someone he had just met talk about flowers? He remembered how annoyed he had been listening to Hinata talk for even thirty minutes back in high school. Asking someone he hardly knew to call him by his first name? Even Yamaguchi, his friend from elementary school, didn’t do that.<br/>
</p><p>Shaking his head, Tsukishima wondered what had gotten into him. Maybe he was just having an off day. <i>Yeah, that had to be it,</i> he thought. That would explain his strange behaviors ever since he had stepped into the flower shop that afternoon. That was why, even as he walked back to his apartment, he couldn’t get the image of your bright smile out of his head. It had just been a strange day, and none of the things he had felt while at Dove Florals meant anything. That warm feeling that had overtaken him when you smiled at him and the way that he had wanted to smile back had no deeper meaning. Neither did the fact that hearing you call him by his first name left him with a blush on his cheeks and a desire to hear you say it again. After all, Akiteru had to be exaggerating when he said that he just <i>knew</i> that he and Saeko were meant to be when they first met. Logically, that wasn’t possible.<br/>
</p><p>There was no way you could develop feelings for someone the first time you met them.<br/>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hear me ramble about writing on <a href="https://www.twitter.com/arinfive">Twitter</a> + find my other socials there!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Second Meeting</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>On their weekly Sunday call, Tsukishima found himself giving clipped answers when his brother started asking about how the flowers were going. As ridiculous as it sounded, he didn’t want to tell his brother about how the meeting went. Just thinking about it brough back memories of how your face would light up when you talked about your favorite flowers or how he felt as if he had your complete attention. For whatever reason, he wanted to be able to keep your interactions together to himself, like they were something precious that he wanted to keep as a memory just between the two of you.<br/>
</p><p>After reassuring his brother that he had everything under control, Akiteru finally dropped the subject. Instead, the conversation veered towards the soon-approaching wedding.<br/>
</p><p> “You’re not getting nervous, are you?” Tsukishima asked. “You know you can’t get cold feet on the day of. If Saeko doesn’t kill you herself, I’m sure her brother would be more than willing to do it.”<br/>
</p><p> “I don’t think she would need his help,” Akiteru said, chuckling darkly. “Don’t worry, I’m not going to ditch on the day of the wedding. I’m nervous, but in a good way, you know?”<br/>
</p><p> “Huh? When are nerves ever good?”<br/>
</p><p> “They’re good when they’re excited nerves!” Akiteru said. “You know, kind of like that feeling I told you that I got when I first met Saeko? I felt nervous then, but I was also more excited than I had ever been in my life!”<br/>
</p><p>Tsukishima sighed. “You know I’m happy for you, but you’re never going to get me to believe that love at first sight is real.”<br/>
</p><p> “I don’t need to. You’ll know once you experience it for yourself,” Akiteru said confidently. “Anyways, have you found anyone to bring as your date yet? We have to send in the final numbers for guests soon.”<br/>
</p><p> “I told you months ago that I wasn’t bringing anyone,” Tsukishima said. “Weddings are troublesome enough on their own. Why would I want to spend it having to accompany someone?”<br/>
</p><p> “Well, you could’ve met someone,” Akiteru protested. “Maybe at work or something?”<br/>
</p><p> “Given that no one has been hired in a year, I would’ve already said something if I was interested in someone at work,” Tsukishima said.<br/>
</p><p> “Well, I don’t know, where do adults meet each other?” Akiteru said, thinking out loud. “Maybe you met a cute girl at a coffee shop or something, like in those cheesy romance movies? And then you realized that you were interested romantically in someone for the first time and then you guys suddenly got together?”<br/>
</p><p> “I don’t drink coffee.” While his voice was emotionless, Akiteru’s words sent his mind back to thinking about the quaint flower shop that was only a few blocks away from his apartment. It wasn’t a coffee shop, but a cute girl working at a flower shop was almost just as cliché, wasn’t it? Tsukishima shook his head. It wasn’t like that. He just admired your ability to be so passionate about your work. Given how animatedly you spoke about it, it was no surprise that he had gotten so drawn in. It was almost scary how much you knew and obviously cared about your job, which explained why he had gotten nervous enough to stutter at the end of the conversation.<br/>
</p><p>What he felt had nothing to do with the “excited nerves” that Akiteru kept insisting that he would one day feel. You were the florist for his brother’s wedding, and that was all there was to it.<br/>
</p><p>***<br/>
</p><p>The rest of the week seem to pass by in slow motion. It was a repetitive cycle of going to his job, staring at paperwork for hours, and then finally coming home. That was why he was so excited that it was Saturday, he told himself. It was because he finally had a day off from work. It had nothing to do with the fact that he would be seeing you again today.<br/>
</p><p>Glancing at the clock, he made sure had had everything that he needed for the meeting before glancing at the mirror near the door. As always, his hair was unruly, and he attempted to flatten it with his hand. It was only after he realized that he’d spent ten minutes trying to get his hair to lie flat that he stopped, asking himself why he was spending more time on his appearance than he ever had before.<br/>
</p><p>The walk to Dove Florals seemed to be shorter than last time as his long strides quickly carried him across the sidewalk. Once again, he had arrived early to his appointment. Opening the door, he looked over to the register when he didn’t hear you greet him. The person standing at the counter was another girl, slightly older than you. He did his best to hide the frown that had started to spread over his face.<br/>
</p><p> “I have an appointment at 1 p.m.,” he said, walking up to the girl. She looked down at a clipboard to her right.<br/>
</p><p> “Kei Tsukishima?” she asked to confirm. He nodded. It was strange to hear someone call him by his full name. Somehow, the way she said his first name didn’t make his cheeks warm like when you had called him that. Maybe he was just getting used to more people calling him Kei. “You’re a little early, so she’ll be out to meet you soon.”<br/>
</p><p>Thanking her, Tsukishima began to wander around the store. Each bundle of flowers was neatly labeled with a handwritten sign. He briefly wondered if that was your handwriting. As he passed by each sign, he recalled what you had told him about each type of flower. Lilies meant beauty, whereas marigolds and lavender were rarely used at weddings.<br/>
</p><p> “Marigolds symbolize grief and jealousy,” you had said. “And lavender symbolizes distrust. Not really something you want to be carrying when you marry someone.”<br/>
</p><p>Tsukishima peered closer at the purple flowers. They looked perfectly harmless to him. What about lavender made it symbolize distrust?<br/>
</p><p> “Kei?”<br/>
</p><p>The sound of your voice made him turn around with the corners of his mouth turning upwards. You were standing behind him, wearing a green work apron covered in pieces of stray leaves and flower petals.<br/>
</p><p> “Sorry to keep you waiting,” you said. “I have the sample arrangements in the back for you to see.”<br/>
</p><p>He followed as you led him to a restricted area behind some of the bouquets on display. He found himself in another large room, with arrangements of every color imaginable on all sides of him. He held his arms tightly to his sides, doing his best to avoid brushing up against any of the creations.<br/>
</p><p> “This is where we keep our custom arrangements for clients to see,” you said. “Yours are over here.”<br/>
</p><p>You gestured towards the flowers on your left, and Tsukishima felt his breath involuntarily hitch. Not saying anything, he walked closer to the arrangements, examining them on all sides. You had done this? The first three arrangements were in the tall, clear vases that the two of you had decided on last week. While all different, he noticed that they shared a theme of mixing white flowers with a few more colorful ones. The names of the flowers you had told him about last time came to mind as he carefully examined each arrangement. One had a mix of red, white, and pink camellias, which you had said signified adoration and affection. Another was a mix of chrysanthemums and edelweiss, which meant devotion and courage. And of course, there was a classic mix of white and red roses that symbolized purity and deep love.<br/>
</p><p>Next to the vases, he saw an assortment of bouquets and corsages laid out. The largest bouquet consisted of peonies in varying shades of white, red, and pink, while a few smaller ones had dahlias and tulips. The boutonnieres for the groomsmen were simple, with an option of either a red or white rose.<br/>
</p><p> “What do you think?” you asked him.<br/>
</p><p> “Wow,” was all that he managed to get out. He felt himself turn red quickly, realizing how inarticulate he must’ve sounded.  He cleared his throat. “I mean, they’re really, really good.”<br/>
</p><p> “Are you the kind of person that says that about everything, just to be nice?”<br/>
</p><p> “I’m really not.” If anything, he was probably too honest and blunt for his own good.<br/>
</p><p>You seemed to believe him and began asking him for more specific opinions. The two of you discussed which of the vase arrangements would be used as centerpieces and which ones would go to decorate the entrance and alter. Tsukishima insisted that the bouquets looked great the way they were for the bride and bridesmaids and suggested that you give Akiteru the white boutonniere while the rest of the groomsmen wore red ones. You offered him potential ideas you had about tweaking the arrangements, like adding more foliage and going for a slightly longer vase. You also insisted that he take pictures of the flowers to send to Akiteru and Saeko, wanting to make sure they liked the flowers, and he promised that he’d let you know what they said the next time he came.<br/>
</p><p> “I’ll see you again next week with the revisions done,” you said, writing down some last notes about the vase shapes. “It shouldn’t take that long, given that we’ve figured most of it out. If all goes well, that should be the last time you need to come in and we’ll just deliver you the flowers on the day of.”<br/>
</p><p>Tsukishima nodded, ignoring the pang of disappointment he felt at your words. He had enjoyed his time in the flower shop even more than he had last time, and he felt like he could stare at your arrangements for hours and not get bored. He shouldn’t be feeling like this, he told himself. After all, he was just your client. There was no need for you to keep seeing each other once the flowers were chosen.<br/>
</p><p> “What do you do with the sample arrangements?” he asked. “You can’t really reuse the boutonniere flowers, right?”<br/>
</p><p> “I usually put the vase arrangements on display in the shop, but you’re right about the boutonnieres,” you said. “Actually, wait.”<br/>
</p><p>You picked up the red boutonniere and motioned for him to step closer. Confused but doing as he was told, Tsukishima’s face turned red as you fingers brushed against the front of his jacket, pinning it in place.<br/>
</p><p> “Here,” you said, adjusting it so it was straight. “So it won’t go to waste now.”<br/>
</p><p> “T-Thanks.” Tsukishima wondered why the only times he ever seemed to stutter were around you, when he was about to leave the shop.<br/>
</p><p> “I’ll see you next week, Kei.”<br/>
</p><p>He didn’t seem to be able to keep his hands away from the boutonniere, his fingers constantly rising to brush against the soft petals as he walked home. When he entered his apartment, he took off his jacket, carefully removing the boutonniere and setting it on his nightstand.<br/>
</p><p>It was the last thing he saw when he went to bed that night, the slightest smile appearing on his face as he drifted off to sleep.<br/>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hear me ramble about writing on <a href="https://www.twitter.com/arinfive">Twitter</a> + find my other socials there!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. The Last Meeting</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Kei, you seem happier recently. Did something happen?”<br/>
</p><p>Akiteru was over at Tsukishima’s apartment, having returned to Miyagi with Saeko the previous day in preparation for the wedding. With wedding rehearsals for the groomsmen and bridesmaids and taking care of all the last-minute details, Akiteru had told him that this was the only day he’d probably have free until after the wedding.<br/>
</p><p>Tsukishima shrugged. “Maybe you’re just happier because you’re getting married and you’re projecting onto me.”<br/>
</p><p>“Maybe,” Akiteru said, though he sounded unconvinced. “Hey, since when were you into flowers?”<br/>
</p><p>Akiteru had spotted the boutonniere from you that was still sitting on his nightstand. After a few days, the rose was starting to wilt, but he couldn’t bring himself to throw the boutonniere away yet. Seeing it when he woke up each morning lifted his mood considerably. It filled him with anticipation for the next Saturday, when he would get to see you and hear you talk about flowers again. However, at the same time, he wanted the day to never come knowing that it would be the last appointment that he would have with you.<br/>
</p><p>“It was a sample from your wedding florist,” Tsukishima said. “She gave it to me so she wouldn’t have to throw it out.”<br/>
</p><p>Akiteru nodded. “Make sure you tip her well when you pay for the flowers. Saeko loved the pictures you sent. I sure am glad I asked you to do this seeing how happy she was.”<br/>
</p><p>“Thank your florist, not me. She did all the work,” Tsukishima said. “But I thought you said both you and Saeko didn’t care about the flowers as long as they weren’t ugly?”<br/>
</p><p>“That was before,” Akiteru said. “But then she showed those pictures you sent of the centerpieces to her bridesmaids and one of them is really into flower symbolism. She apparently started telling Saeko what each of the flowers mean, and you know how she’s a complete romantic at heart. She said that the flowers represented everything she wanted the wedding to be, especially her bouquet.”<br/>
</p><p>“Red roses for love, white for purity, and pink for happiness,” Tsukishima recited, remembering your words.<br/>
</p><p>“I thought you didn’t know anything about flowers?” Akiteru said.<br/>
</p><p>“Yeah, but I’ve spent the last two weeks meeting with a florist who can talk about flower symbolism for hours without stopping,” Tsukishima said. “It would be weirder if I didn’t remember any of it.”<br/>
</p><p>“You don’t remember things that don’t interest you, no matter how many times someone repeats them,” Akiteru pointed out. “Did helping out with my wedding pique a sudden interest in flower symbolism? Or maybe you’re interested in the person <i> telling </i> you about flower symbolism?”<br/>
</p><p>Tsukishima felt himself blush despite knowing from Akiteru’s smirk that his brother was just teasing him. If Akiteru hadn’t figured it out before, his widened eyes and grin made it obvious that he knew it now.<br/>
</p><p>“Kei, are you serious? There’s someone you’re actually interested in?”<br/>
</p><p>“I-I never said anything!”<br/>
</p><p>“You’re so bad at hiding when you’re embarrassed!” Akiteru said, laughing. “Come on, do you think my wedding florist is cute?”<br/>
</p><p>“N-No.” Even Tsukishima didn’t think he sounded convincing.<br/>
</p><p>“Whatever you say,” Akiteru said, still laughing. “I’m so proud! My little brother is finally taking interest in someone!”<br/>
</p><p>“Tell that to anyone and I’ll tell every embarrassing story about you that I remember in my best man speech,” Tsukishima threatened. Of course he didn’t mean it, but his emotionless delivery seemed to convince Akiteru to stop teasing him. As the two switched topics, Tsukishima did his best to control his breathing so that the heat would fade from his cheeks. Unfortunately, that didn’t stop Akiteru’s words from echoing in his mind. Did he think that the girl who made the most incredible floral arrangements was cute?<br/>
</p><p>The answer, no matter how much he wanted to deny it, was a yes.<br/>
</p><p>***<br/>
</p><p>For once, Tsukishima felt like he had arrived at Dove Florals too quickly. Peering into the window and seeing you sitting at the register gave him a sinking feeling in his stomach. This would be the last time he would be meeting with you, and he had found himself feeling surprisingly down at the thought. Over the last few weeks, he had found himself looking forward to Saturdays more than he would ever admit. He could hear your voice in his head, telling him about the meaning of a flower whenever he saw a plant he recognized in the park. A part of him wished that Akiteru’s wedding could be postponed indefinitely so he could continue hearing you talk about flowers and seeing your breathtaking smile.<br/>
</p><p>He blushed at that last thought. Though he’d never been the type to easily turn red before, that had been happening a lot recently, too. Tsukishima blamed his brother for it all. It was his brother stating the facts that he’d been trying to deny that made it now impossible to ignore the truth: he liked you, for the way that you tolerated his callous comments when he forgot to think before he spoke, for the way you never failed to be smiling when he saw you, and for the way your entire face seemed to light up when you talked about flowers. It seemed a little ridiculous that he could name all these things that he liked about you given that you had only met twice.<br/>
</p><p>Maybe Akiteru’s unwavering belief in love at first sight wasn’t as far-fetched as he had once thought.<br/>
</p><p>Opening the door, the familiar chime of a bell sounded as he spotted you straightening some of the flowers across the room. You turned to see him, giving him a smile that made his heart skip a beat. He clicked his tongue in annoyance at himself. What was he, a lovestruck teenager?<br/>
</p><p>“Kei!” you said, setting down the flowers to come up to him. “I have the finished arrangements in the back.”<br/>
</p><p>Tsukishima followed you into the back room again, noting that the arrangements on the tables around him were different from the ones that had been there last week.<br/>
</p><p>“They’re right here,” you said, motioning towards the flowers. Tsukishima’s eyes widened as he took in the new arrangements. Somehow, you had managed to make them even more beautiful. The taller vases made the centerpieces more dramatic, and you had added more pink and red flowers to contrast against the while tablecloths that were being used for the dinner. The boutonnieres laid out next to them had carefully placed leaves attached to them to create a green background for the roses, making their color pop even more.<br/>
</p><p>“Beautiful,” he breathed out.<br/>
</p><p>“I’m glad,” you said. “Did you show your brother the pictures?”<br/>
</p><p>“Yeah. He and his fiancée loved them,” Tsukishima said. “Apparently one of her bridesmaids is into flower symbolism and told her about it, so she was impressed by your choices in flowers.”<br/>
</p><p>“You mean <i>our</i> choices in flowers,” you corrected him. “You had just as much input as to which flowers we put in.”<br/>
</p><p>“Only because you taught me what all the flowers meant. If I’d been on my own, I would’ve just thrown together the flowers that were closest to me.”<br/>
</p><p>“You’re not giving yourself enough credit for learning,” you said with a frown. “Most people cut me off when I start to ramble about flowers and find it boring. I still can’t believe that you listened to me for three hours during that first meeting!”<br/>
</p><p>Tsukishima shrugged. “It was interesting.”<br/>
</p><p>“Well, I’m glad you enjoyed it.” You grabbed the clipboard next to the vases. “Here, I need you to look over the numbers for each arrangement that we’re going to be preparing for the wedding and sign off here.”<br/>
</p><p>Tsukishima took the clipboard from you, looking over the numbers and then scribbling his name on the line at the bottom.<br/>
</p><p>“Great!” You took the clipboard back from him. “You’re all set. Someone from the company will be delivering all the flowers to the venue on the morning of the ceremony, but if you have any issues, call the shop.”<br/>
</p><p>“Will you be there?” Tsukishima asked before he could stop himself.<br/>
</p><p>“No, Sundays are my day off,” you said. Tsukishima couldn’t help the disappointment he felt as he bit the inside of his cheek. You seemed to interpret his disappointment as worry. “But don’t worry, everyone that works here knows what they’re doing.”<br/>
</p><p>“I’m sure they do,” Tsukishima said. Silence fell over the two of you. This was when he was supposed to thank you and leave. There wasn’t anything else pertaining to the wedding that needed to be discussed, yet he couldn’t bring himself to step away. This was likely the last time he’d be seeing you. Once he left, he would no longer have an excuse to keep visiting the flower shop every weekend.<br/>
</p><p>“I’m glad your brother asked you to choose the flowers for his wedding, Kei,” you said, finally breaking the silence. “I had fun getting to know you.”<br/>
</p><p>“Me too,” Tsukishima said honestly. “I guess there’s a lot more to flowers than I thought.”<br/>
</p><p>If Tsukishima was braver, he would’ve told you exactly how he felt. He would’ve said that he enjoyed hearing you talk and that he didn’t want the fact that he wouldn’t need your services anymore to end your meetings together. Maybe if he was really brave, he would’ve even managed to ask you out and admit that you’d been on his mind since the day he had met you.<br/>
</p><p>But Tsukishima wasn’t brave. It went hand-in-hand with his cynical personality and outlook on life. If he questioned the things that scared him by claiming that they were illogical or stupid, he wouldn’t have to face his fears. It was at times like this that Tsukishima wished that he was more like his brother. Akiteru wasn’t afraid of taking risks for things he believed in, like love or family. Unlike him, his brother was able to take the plunge to honestly lay out his feelings when he liked someone, which had ultimately led him to having a fiancée and soon-to-be-wife.<br/>
</p><p>If Tsukishima had been more like his brother, maybe he wouldn’t have found himself saying a half-hearted thank you to you before walking out of the shop, regret weighing on him with every step. Of course he didn’t like knowing that he was walking away from the first person he’d ever been interested in romantically, but his fear of rejection and confronting his vulnerable emotions overrode that.<br/>
</p><p>As he walked down the sidewalk back to his apartment, he passed by a girl who was carrying a small bundle of flowers in her arms. He recognized the flowers from your shop: striped red carnations. He almost laughed at the irony. Pure red carnations symbolized love and affection, but striped ones represented regret for a love that couldn’t be shared.<br/>
</p><p>Once he was back in his room, his eyes landed on the boutonniere that was still sitting on his nightstand. It was almost completely brown at this point, having been sitting on his nightstand for a week. Sighing, he picked it up, hesitating for a second before dropping it into the trash.<br/>
</p><p>Seeing the boutonniere now only reminded him of the dull pain in his chest that wouldn’t go away.<br/>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hear me ramble about writing on <a href="https://www.twitter.com/arinfive">Twitter</a> + find my other socials there!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Red Roses</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Tsukishima’s life had fallen back into its boring, unchanging routine.<br/>
</p><p>The wedding had gone exactly according to plan. The flowers had arrived in the morning, your arrangements as perfect as they were when he saw the samples, and he and the rest of the bridal party had carefully set them on the tables and pinned their boutonnieres in place. He had ignored the bitter taste in his mouth that seemed to appear when he pinned his onto his jacket, the action reminding him too much of when you had done the same thing.<br/>
</p><p>Saeko and Akiteru had read their vows, and Tsukishima had to admit that he even teared up a little bit when Akiteru started crying. He had given his toast at the beginning of the dinner, making sure to share some of Akiteru’s embarrassing childhood memories, before the night was underway. He had watched his brother dance with his new wife while sitting next to Ryu, while everyone cheered and snapped pictures. He couldn’t help but notice the slight sting at his heart when his tipsy brother-in-law asked him why he had come to the wedding alone and didn’t have a girlfriend yet.<br/>
</p><p>That had been a week ago, and now, everything had gone back to normal. Akiteru and Saeko had gone back to Tokyo shortly after their wedding and he had returned to his routine of having little to look forward to outside of his job. He found himself going on walks just to try to clear his head and his feet seemed to always take him unconsciously in the direction of Dove Florals. Though, he would always catch himself before he arrived at the shop and head in the opposite direction.<br/>
</p><p>It wasn’t like anything had happened between the two of you, he thought, so why did he have a dull ache in his chest that wouldn’t subside? He knew people could feel physical pain when they broke up with someone that they loved, or even if they were simply rejected by someone they had been pining over, but neither of those things applied to his case. He hadn’t even asked you out, so why did it feel like he was mourning a relationship that never existed to begin with? How could he be hurting so much over his feelings for someone that he knew so little about?<br/>
</p><p>Maybe it was because he was so lost in his thoughts that he didn’t realize where he had wandered off to. When he realized that he was pushing open the door to Dove Florals, it was too late to turn back. The bell rang, signaling his entry, and you looked up from your place at the register to smile at him.<br/>
</p><p>“Kei! It’s been a while!”<br/>
</p><p>“Yeah.” Tsukishima found himself quickly glancing around the shop, unable to meet your gaze. For you, there was probably nothing strange about this situation. He was just a customer, here to buy flowers just like anyone else. You weren’t like him, who had laid awake at night, unable to sleep as he replayed your conversations in his head. You didn’t know how his chest felt heavy every time he walked past the flowers sold at the entrance of the grocery store.<br/>
</p><p>Tsukishima walked towards the back of the shop, eyes scanning the signs. His hands went for a small bouquet of coreopsis flowers, which you had said represented cheerfulness. He couldn’t think of a flower that matched your personality better.<br/>
</p><p>Taking the flowers up to the register for you to ring him up, Tsukishima hesitated. He knew what he <i>should</i> do, of course but actually making himself take that risk was a completely different matter. He should just ask you out, or at least tell you how he felt. Then, regardless of your answer, he wouldn’t be tormented by the tiniest part of his mind that told him that there was a chance that you liked him back. Even if you rejected him, he would have an easier time getting over you and moving on if he knew for sure.<br/>
</p><p>At least, that’s what he told himself. Logically, that all made perfect sense to him but a louder part of his brain seemed to be screaming at him to avoid rejection through whatever means necessary, even if that meant staying silent.<br/>
</p><p>“How did the wedding go?” you asked him, wrapping the bottom of the bouquet with some paper.<br/>
</p><p>“Good. Everyone loved the flowers, and my brother was happy,” he said. “Has it been busy?”<br/>
</p><p>You shook your head. “Still slow as usual. We’ll be getting a lot more orders when Valentine’s Day gets closer though, so I should probably be appreciating the reprieve.”<br/>
</p><p>The two of you continued to speak, the coreopsis bouquet still laying on the table in front of the register. He told you about his job and the mind-numbing amount of paperwork he had to deal with, and you told him about a ridiculously extravagant arrangement that you had gotten a custom order for. Tsukishima kept the conversation going, telling you about how his new brother-in-law Ryu had gotten extremely drunk at the wedding and had started dancing in front of everyone, making him the joke of the night. While he talked to you like this, he could ignore the simultaneous desire and fear of addressing how he felt.<br/>
</p><p>He didn’t realize how long your conversation had continued until the bell chimed and another customer walked into the shop. When he looked out the window, the sun had already started to set.<br/>
</p><p>“I should probably get going,” he said, picking up his flowers.<br/>
</p><p>“Come again soon!” you called after him.<br/>
</p><p>His fingers tightened around the flowers as he stepped outside. Again, he’d been unable to work up the courage to tell you how he felt. It was incredibly frustrating, to know logically that telling you was the best thing to do while his emotions and body refused to obey. Why was he so incredibly afraid that he couldn’t bring himself to say anything to you? Akiteru never seemed to have a problem expressing his feelings. Was there something wrong with him?<br/>
</p><p>Tsukishima sighed as he entered his apartment, pulling out a vase that someone had gifted him years ago. Filling it with water, he placed the flowers inside and set it on the center of the table. At the very least, maybe the bright flowers would be able to lift his mood, if only just a little bit.<br/>
</p><p>Besides, they reminded him of you.<br/>
</p><p>***<br/>
</p><p>It wasn’t long before he decided that he liked having flowers in his house.<br/>
</p><p>Tsukishima remembered when he first got his own apartment that he had been a complete minimalist. He hated having anything take up space that didn’t have any practical value, and that included flowers. He hadn’t understood why people would spend money on a bunch of dead plants that had no practical use and would wilt soon anyways.<br/>
</p><p>But now, with the flowers on his table, he understood the appeal. They seemed to be able to lift his spirits, even on his worst days. The bright petals were like a small reminder to him from you that it was always possible to be optimistic.<br/>
</p><p>Ever since the wedding, Tsukishima found himself frequenting Dove Florals every week. Each Saturday, just like when he had been working on Akiteru’s wedding flowers, he made his way to the small shop and you would always be there to greet him. Every time, he would by a different flower, but always one that reminded him of you: a dahlia that meant good taste, daisies for hope, and a gardenia that symbolized the secret affections that he felt but couldn’t express. The two of you would talk until another customer came or the sky began to turn dark, and despite himself, Tsukishima found that with every conversation his feelings were growing stronger. Even when you talked about issues that the flower shop was having, with more slow days than not, you remained cheerful. No matter how boring his week had been, you listened to him like he was the most important person it the world.<br/>
</p><p>Two months had passed since the first time he had bought flowers from you. With Valentine’s Day quickly approaching, he noticed that the displays in the window began to incorporate more red and pink flowers, with the rose section in the store rapidly growing. The Saturday before Valentine’s Day, he felt like he was surrounded by red and pink on all sides as he went up to you to buy a few lavender roses.<br/>
</p><p>“I’ve never understood why people want red roses on Valentine’s Day,” you said while ringing his flowers up. “I mean, I know that they symbolize true love but there are so many other flowers that mean the same thing. And wouldn’t you rather have a bouquet that’s different from the hundreds of red rose bouquet orders that we get?”<br/>
</p><p>“I guess they’re a flower that you don’t need to understand flower symbolism to appreciate,” he said.<br/>
</p><p>“Maybe. I’m sure your girlfriend appreciates your more unique choices, though. Love at first sight, right?” you said, gesturing down towards the lavender roses.<br/>
</p><p>Tsukishima’s eyebrows furrowed, certain that he had misheard you. “I don’t have a girlfriend.” He’d never had one. In fact, the only person he’d ever wanted to be with was standing right in front of him.<br/>
</p><p>“Oh, I’m sorry!” you said, turning a light shade of red. “I shouldn’t have assumed. It’s just that most of our repeat customers come in to buy flowers for their significant other.”<br/>
</p><p>“Not me,” he said.<br/>
</p><p>He saw you look down at the roses with a confused expression and could guess what you were thinking: why was he buying flowers every week that symbolized love and affection if he wasn’t dating anyone? It wasn’t like he was getting flowers that were typically used to honor loved ones that had passed away, either.<br/>
</p><p>“They’re for someone that I, uh, have feelings for,” he said, blushing. “All the flowers that I get remind me of her but I’ve never been able to work up the courage to give them to her, so the flowers just end up decorating my apartment.”<br/>
</p><p>“If that’s the case, give me a second,” you said. He watched you step out from behind the register and grab a small bunch of small white flowers.<br/>
</p><p>“Edelweiss?” he asked, remembering how you had used some of the flowers for Akiteru’s wedding.<br/>
</p><p>“For courage,” you said, nodding, holding the flowers out to him with a grin. “It’s on the house. Take it as encouragement to finally tell this girl how you feel.”<br/>
</p><p>Tsukishima stared at the small white flowers. Courage, huh? He would definitely need it for what he would say next.<br/>
</p><p>“If that’s the case, go out to dinner with me.”<br/>
</p><p>His heartbeat seemed to thunder in his ears as he watched you for your reaction. Your cheeks immediately flushed at his words.<br/>
</p><p>“What? Me?”<br/>
</p><p>Tsukishima nodded, feelings his cheeks burn as well. “Yeah. I regretted not being able to say anything to you after that last appointment I had for my brother’s wedding. I’ve been back every week after that to finally make a move, but it’s a lot harder than I thought it would be.”<br/>
</p><p>“Then the flowers you’ve been ordering since then…” you trailed off, looking down at the lavender roses.<br/>
</p><p>“Were all for you,” Tsukishima said. Seeing you blush even harder, he added, “My brother always told me that when I finally found someone I liked, I would feel both nervous and excited at the same time. I honestly didn’t think I’d ever find someone after this long, but I think I felt something like that when I first met you.”<br/>
</p><p>“Kei,” you said, finally looking up at him with a soft smile. “I like you too. I’m glad you weren’t getting these for a girlfriend.”<br/>
</p><p>“You do?” Tsukishima asked incredulously. Of course he’d been hoping for you to say that, but he hadn’t actually expected you to return his feelings.<br/>
</p><p>“What’s there not to like?” you asked. “I like talking to you, and you put up with my incessant rambling without complaining. And any guy who gets a girl flowers that aren’t just red roses is always a plus.”<br/>
</p><p>Tsukishima was still in a state of shock as you gave him your number so the two of you could figure out plans for dinner. When the door opened and another man walked into the shop, you picked up the lavender roses to hand them to him, snapping him out of his trance.<br/>
</p><p>He shook his head. “Like I said, they’re for you. All the flowers were for you.”<br/>
</p><p>You held the flowers close to you, looking down at them fondly. “Thanks, Kei. I can’t wait until our date.”<br/>
</p><p><i>Date.</i> The word repeated in his mind as he started his walk home. He had never been on a date before. Despite the teasing that was sure to follow, he knew that he would be asking Akiteru for advice on what he was supposed to do. As he walked past a restaurant and glanced into the window, he saw that each table had a vase of red roses, making him smile. He hadn’t ever gotten you red roses, thinking that they were too bold of a declaration. Somehow, that had ended up working in his favor considering your love of more subtle and varied flower symbolism.<br/>
</p><p>He felt a surge of excitement that he imagined lovestruck teenagers felt when he arrived home and opened his phone up to see your number. He definitely had to get you flowers for your first date and would probably go to Dove Florals on Sunday, your day off, to get them as a surprise. What should he pick, given that you’d already seen him buy so many different flowers that revealed how he felt for you? No matter what he ended up choosing, though, he knew that red roses wouldn’t be on the list.  Coreopsis, gardenia, and even lavender roses represented how he felt for you more than any generic bouquet could. Why would he get you a dozen of the same flowers that simply meant “love,” when he could put together a combination that told you that he liked how cheerful you were, that he’d harbored feelings for months without being able to admit it, and that a part of him had fallen for you the first time you’d met?<br/>
</p><p>Tsukishima smiled. He’d always thought that red roses were overrated anyways.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Wow, here we are, finally at the end! Thank you to everyone who has stayed with this story until now. I appreciate all of you! This story may be over but I'll still be replying to comments whenever I get the chance :)<br/>Hear me ramble about writing on <a href="https://www.twitter.com/arinfive">Twitter</a> + find my other socials there!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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